Saerasi
The Saerasi are native to the Primarchy of Saeras in the southern reaches of the continent of Thyrin. Saeras has long been involved in a cold war with Naicha to the north and has shown little respect for the majority of the nations of Thyrin save for the tall and strong Goliaths of the north and the Thuizar in the mountains to their east. The Saerasi are proud and athletic, their lives filled with competition and a respect for strength of arm and military might. The nation is ruled by a hereditary Primus who is advised by a three-person Tricaea. The Tricaea consists of the heads of the three ruling houses and is, in turn, advised by the Populari, a body of politicians elected by the guilds. The Tricaea and Populari are highly-corruptible and primarily only interested in maintaining their power and scoring points with the Primus. The majority of the real power belongs to the merchant guilds, who are at least as corrupt as the government they support. The non-ruling classes watch their leadership and their machinations as if it were a form of entertainment, taking sides in arguments just to incite further political discussion and ignite the lamps of the rumor mill. The only thing that the Saerasi love as much as politics and martial competition is the history of politics and martial contests. They study the history of such things with the belief that understanding the victories and failures of the past better prepare them for the contests yet to come. The increased traffic between Ceilar and Thyrin over the past centuries has been a gift to the Saerasi, giving them new governments to watch, fresh histories to learn, and many fascinating militaries to study. Despite this, they are not a frivolous people. For the most part, Saerasi prefer a spartan, utilitarian lifestyle. They are not afraid of hard work, and throw themselves fully into any endeavor that they choose to undertake. They are courageous and self-sufficient, with a strong sense of loyalty to friends and family, and a never-say-die attitude that has kept them strong -- and made them a thorn in the side of the Naicha -- for generations. Saerasi are fairer-skinned than their northern cousins, and their hair colors follow suit, usually ranging from light brown to platinum blonde. Their eyes tend towards lighter, more-intense colors. They are a bit shorter than Naichaens on average, but more tightly muscled. While not humorless, they tend to be more sober and serious... and stubborn, sometimes seeming more like dwarves than humans. Game Information * Ability Score Increase. The Saerasi people live for physical contests and competition. Even those who are not active competitors work to maintain their physical attributes, as physical prowess determines a Searasi's place in society. Your Strength is increased by 1. * Student of Antiquity. In addition to contests of strength, Saerasi education focuses a lot of time on the past: wars, military strategy, and politics. You gain proficiency in the History skill.